01
Authentic Vivandière Heritage
Historically issued to or acquired by female regimental provisioners serving French troops during mid-nineteenth-century campaigns.
Curio Gallery
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01 / 01French Second Empire Vivandière Pewter & Felt Canteen — photograph 1
Highlights
Why this object
still matters.
Constructed from cast pewter and clad in vivid scarlet wool felt, this French Second Empire vivandière (cantinière) canteen served to dispense spirits to soldiers in the field. The front features an ornate openwork pewter medallion with a central turn boss and an integrated bottom dispensing spigot, while the top neck retains its threaded collar and turned finial cap. A flared pedestal base allows stable upright resting between field rations.
02
Scarlet Wool Insulation
Vibrant red wool felt tailored over the metal reservoir served both thermal protection and matched regimental garance uniforms.
03
Functional Dispensing Spigot
Features a working pewter turn-cock tap at the lower perimeter for controlled pouring directly into soldiers' tot cups.
04
Ornate Cast Medallion
Front center is adorned with an openwork pierced pewter rosette surrounding a heavy central threaded turn plug.
05
Turned Finial Neck
The top filling neck features a classical urn-shaped stopper finial and dual threaded studs for original suspension cords.
06
Pedestal Base Design
A stable flared pewter foot allows the canteen to function as both a portable field flask and an upright table dispenser.
Specifications
The useful facts,
clearly recorded.
Measurements, construction, identity, and seller-supplied details are kept together for direct comparison.
Reviewed · Curio catalogue
Maker
French Military Outfitter / Pewterer (Unmarked)
Origin
France
Year
1860
Department
scientific-instruments
Packed shipment
4 kg · 40 × 30 × 25 cm
Object Type
Vivandière / Cantinière Field Flask (Gourde)
Primary Materials
Cast pewter and pressed wool felt
Dispensing Mechanism
Manual turn-cock spigot at lower right
Mounting & Hardware
Threaded lateral collar studs for sling attachment; flared pedestal foot
Maker Markings
Not visible in photographs
Details
Close inspection,
recorded in photographs.
Heritage
A traceable life,
carefully recorded.
Provenance documentation was not supplied for this specific French Second Empire Vivandière Pewter & Felt Canteen; this listing is based on the supplied photographs only.
Frontline Rationing
The Vivandière's Tap
Visible from the front, the integrated pewter tap and ornate central rosette provided battlefield vivandières with an efficient means to dispense revitalizing spirits or water directly to soldiers during Second Empire French military campaigns.
Regimental Uniformity
Scarlet Wool Drap Garance
The reverse showcases the durable scarlet wool felt tailored with perimeter seam tape, insulated to protect contents from temperature extremes while harmonizing visually with the iconic garance-red trousers of nineteenth-century French infantry uniforms.
Timeline
An object in time,
one continuous story.
1852
Second French Empire Established
Regimental cantinières and vivandières become iconic fixtures in French military campaigns, officially attached to infantry regiments.
1860
Peak Production of Regimental Flasks
Specialist pewterers craft dedicated, felt-insulated canteens fitted with service taps for battlefield brandy rationing.
1870
Franco-Prussian War Service
Vivandière flasks of this distinctive pattern see widespread deployment providing frontline hydration and medical brandy.
1890
Retirement of Field Vivandières
Reorganization of French army logistics formally phases out civilian cantinières, turning their personal equipment into cherished militaria.
Condition
Honest wear,
documented clearly.
The piece survives in good antique condition with age-typical wear throughout. The scarlet wool felt exhibits minor surface soiling, dark handling smudges on the reverse, and fraying along the perimeter textile binding tape. The pewter elements, including the pedestal base, central medallion, finial, and dispensing spigot, show natural darkening, fine surface abrasions, and scattered patina consistent with mid-nineteenth-century field gear.
✓
InspectedTextile Covering
The red wool felt retains strong coloration but displays surface piling, lint, and faint dark smudging on the reverse.
✓
InspectedPerimeter Seam Tape
The woven seam-binding ribbon shows fiber loss, fraying, and thread separation along both faces.
✓
InspectedPewter Hardware
The cast pewter base, medallion, neck, and tap show age-appropriate tarnish, micro-scratches, and minor edge softening.
✓
InspectedSling Mounts
Lateral threaded collar screws are present at the neck ring; the original leather or textile carrying strap is absent.
Logistics
Inspected, insured,
door to door.
Step 01
Delivery
Inspected, photographed, and packed with its condition report.
Step 02
Shipping
Custom-fit protective packing with tracked, insured courier service.
Step 03
Returns
Return requests are accepted within fourteen days of confirmed delivery.
Step 04
Dispatch
Prepared for courier handoff within three to five business days.
Acquisition
Make it part of
your collection.
Contact the seller for more information or to discuss this object.
✓ Insured Shipping✓ 14-Day Returns✓ Condition Report✓ Reviewed Listing
French Second Empire Vivandière Pewter & Felt Canteen